Your child’s health should be your priority. Many parents feel like they will always know what’s best for their kid, however, it’s also vital that they listen to professional medical advice. For instance, when it comes to what they should and should not be feeding their baby. Ignoring recommendations can be very dangerous.
A dad turned to the AITA online community for their advice after dealing with an emotionally complex situation. He had ‘ratted out’ his wife to their daughter’s pediatrician for feeding her food other than formula, which was recommended. They got into a huge argument. You’ll find the full story, in the OP’s own words, below. Bored Panda has reached out to redditor u/Apprehensive_Pop_363, and we’ll update the article once we hear back from him.
A dad turned to the internet for help after a complicated and emotionally draining situation with his wife
Image credits: Lucy Wolski (not the actual photo)
He shared how she had gone against the doctor's recommendations on what they should feed their baby daughter
Image credits: Rachel Loughman (not the actual photo)
The dad had finally had enough and decided that it was time for a heavy dose of the truth
Image credits: Francisco Venâncio (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Apprehensive_Pop_363
Most doctors agree on how long babies should be breastfed or given formula
Image credits: stevanovicigor (not the actual photo)
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization, it is recommended that mothers breastfeed their babies exclusively for the first 6 months of their lives. It’s recommended to do this until at least they’re 12 months old, as breastfeeding helps defend against infections, allergies, and chronic conditions, as the mom passes on her antibodies through the milk. Formula is a viable alternative, though it provides fewer benefits.
Generally, it’s recommended to wait until your baby is 6 months old before starting it on solid foods. As always: speak to your doctor or pediatrician before making any major nutritional changes. And don’t give your 2-month-old oatmeal when you’ve been specifically told to feed her formula.
The couple got into a massive argument over what happened at the pediatrician's office
Image credits: damirkhabirov (not the actual photo)
The entire family drama came to a point at the pediatrician’s office after the dad told them about what his wife had really been feeding their then 2-month-old daughter. The woman had lied to the doctor before, claiming that she’d been giving the baby only formula, which was the initial recommendation.
“I was angry because she lied,” redditor u/Apprehensive_Pop_363 shared with the AITA online community. His wife was incredibly upset that he had told their baby’s pediatrician the truth. But probably any parent reading the story would have done literally the same thing: you should never lie to your doctor. Not when it comes to your health. Not when it comes to your child’s health. Medical professionals are not mind-readers, they need specific information.
Some internet users thought that there might be some bigger issues at play here
Image credits: Farknot (not the actual photo)
In a few additional comments underneath his post, the dad shared some more worrying news about what happened next. What he shared about his wife’s behavior and how she “went ballistic” led some redditors to theorize that she might have been suffering from postpartum depression or even postpartum psychosis.
The NHS explains that 1 in 500 mothers suffer from postpartum psychosis after giving birth. This is a serious mental health illness and should be treated as a medical emergency. It is imperative that you reach out to medical professionals immediately.
“Symptoms usually start suddenly within the first 2 weeks after giving birth—often within hours or days of giving birth. More rarely, they can develop several weeks after the baby is born,” the NHS explains that postpartum psychosis is different from the so-called ‘baby blues’ which can last a few days.
Some symptoms of postpartum psychosis include delusions, hallucinations, a manic mood, a low mood, the loss of inhibitions, feelings of fear or suspicion, restlessness, feeling confused, and behaving in a way that is completely out of character.
The dad revealed some more sensitive information about his family in the comments of his story
The vast majority of readers were sympathetic and were in the dad's corner. Here's what some of them said
However, some internet users called the dad out for not reacting to what was happening earlier
